A DISABLED man with chronic asthma and brittle bone disease has admitted himself to hospital rather than remain in his council home.

Ian Yates, 36, is refusing to return to his ground floor council flat on Blackburn's notorious Fishmoor Estate, after thieves who broke into an empty house next door smashed into his bedroom by hammering their way through the party wall.

They then ransacked the one-bedroom flat in Whitehaven Close and made off with property including a vacuum cleaner, brand new television set and two leather jackets - one of which was left to Mr Yates by a friend who recently died.

Mr Yates, who has to inhale a nebuliser frequently throughout the day to help him breathe, was left with a gaping hole in his wall, dust everywhere and nothing to clean it up with.

And when he asked Blackburn with Darwen Council to move him he claims officers in the housing department told him he could either remain in the flat or move to a local hostel instead.

Mr Yates last night took up the option of admitting himself to hospital - through the automatic admission card he carries because of his health - rather than accept either of the council's alternatives. He said: "The council have told me I can either stay there or move to a hostel, neither of which I want to do. "I have asked to be moved somewhere else because I am scared here. The dust is not doing my chest any good, but I'm limited because I have brittle bones in my legs and cannot go up stairs.

"It seems the only thing left is to admit myself to hospital and that is what I will do rather than go back there or to some hostel."

A council spokesman said: "The council has repaired the damage to the property and his property is fully secure. Mr Yates has applied for a transfer and we will assist him to find a vacancy at the earliest possible opportunity."

Thieves broke into the flat on Monday afternoon after smashing both the back and front doors of the adjoining house and bashing their way through the party wall.

Among the items stolen was a leather jacket which had belonged to local disabled table tennis champ Mark Joseph, who died two months ago.

Mr Yates said: "It's really upset me. I knew Mark for more than 25 years and he was a really good friend. When he died recently his sister gave me his leather jacket to remember him by and I would really like it back."

Anyone with any information can contact Blackburn Police on 01254 51212 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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